Ford Motor said its U.S. vehicle sales topped 2 million this year for the first time since 2007, implying a 15 percent share in the second biggest auto market in the world.

Ford's small cars sales are on pace to post an increase of more than 20 percent this year, while its utility vehicles are tracking a 30 percent gain, the company said.

With gasoline prices higher than last year, customers continue to move toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, Ford said.

The company sold slightly more than 1.9 million cars in 2010 in the United States.

U.S. auto sales in December are expected to top 13 million on an annual rate, J.D. Power and Associates and LMC Automotive said.

Ford shares closed at $10.68 on Thursday on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Divya Sharma in Bangalore; Editing by Roshni Menon)

Ford Motor Company